


Harry Potter and the Dilemma of Love

by crystalleyes



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-27
Updated: 2019-09-09
Packaged: 2020-09-28 03:44:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,207
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20419361
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crystalleyes/pseuds/crystalleyes
Summary: After the catastrophic events at the Triwizard Tournament, it seems that Harry of all people needs some time to rest… and perhaps even some romance.





	1. The Stroll

**Author's Note:**

> Setting: after "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire"
> 
> This is my first work in AO3 and I am definitely still improving but hope you enjoy! Feedback is much appreciated :)

One particular morning, the Great Hall was packed to the brim with Beauxbatons and Durmstrang students, as well as the whole Hogwarts student body and staff. Harry, Ron, and Hermione made their way down a few minutes late, if only because a cackling Peeves had shown up and started pelting them with orange peels. 

“Hello, Harry, Ron, Hermione,” said Dean Thomas as the three of them sat down at the Gryffindor table. “It’s quite packed today, are you alright?”

“Yes, I s’pose we’ll be excused from our classes,” Ron said cheerily, no doubt thinking about the Double Potions class on their schedule. Harry was rather excited too, wondering why exactly the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang students were here. 

“Oh, no, I’ve already done my Ancient Runes essay,” moaned Hermione, looking down at her pumpkin juice in despair. 

“Typical Hermione,” muttered Ron to Harry. “Ah, well,” he said suddenly, “I’d better be going. I think I’ve seen someone over there - excuse me - ”

Sure enough, Fleur Delacour, one of the most beautiful Beauxbatons students, had just entered the Great Hall, flanked by her equally astonishing peers. Fleur’s hair was a shimmery blonde waterfall that swished as she moved. 

“What is he doing, do you know?” asked Hermione, narrowing her bushy eyebrows at a mesmerized Ron. Harry hastily changed the subject. 

“Probably going to the library - I dunno - have you any idea why the other schools are here?” 

Hermione shifted her narrowed eyes to Harry, not believing for a second that Ron would visit the library for recreation. “Perhaps we’ve got another Triwizard Tournament - but that’s happened only last year…” 

“Hermione, I heard that Viktor and you are going out - is that true?” asked Parvati Patil, who had leaned over the table, her eyes widening. 

“No, where’d you get that information?” said Hermione, stiffening. Harry resisted the urge to laugh. 

“I dunno - it just looked like you two were together last year,” said Parvati, frowning. “Listen, I’ve got to tell Lavender this, she was betting on it - ” 

“So, are you going out with Viktor?” Harry turned on Hermione as Parvati left.

Hermione raised an eyebrow, sipping the dregs of her pumpkin juice. “I don’t see why this concerns you, Harry. Now, Cho Chang over there - I hear she’s got an eye on you - ” 

Harry swiveled immediately toward the Ravenclaw table, and sure enough, the pretty dark-haired girl was waving at him. He tried to smile casually back, but he had a sinking suspicion that it came off more like a grimace. 

“Merlin’s beard, don’t be too hard on yourself,” coaxed Hermione as Harry put his head in his heads. “You’ll be good with girls in no time - just some practice - ” 

As Harry and Hermione stood up to leave, they noticed Ron was at Fleur’s table, no doubt convincing her to join theirs. “Just let him be,” said Harry as Hermione shot a furious look at the two of them. 

“I can’t stand it how Ron is infatuated with that - veela - ” muttered Hermione as they left the Hall. She glanced wildly about for a second. “Oh, Merlin, I forgot I have prefect duties - sorry, Harry, catch up with you later!” 

Harry watched Hermione dash toward the first years, rounding them up, and he began to walk back to the Gryffindor common room morosely. 

“Oh, hi, Harry,” came a voice behind him. He whirled around, face-to-face with Cho Chang, who looked skinnier with shadows under her eyes. He couldn’t blame her, after the disastrous events at the Triwizard Tournament last year, and Cedric - 

“Hey, Cho,” said Harry, already feeling lame. “Done with breakfast, are you?” 

“Yes, I wanted to leave early,” said Cho. “Are you - er - up for a stroll, perhaps?”

Harry began to stutter. “A - a stroll - ?” 

“Just around the common grounds,” said Cho, tears suddenly springing up in her eyes. “Unless you’re busy, Harry, I can go - ” 

"No, no!” Harry blurted, leaping toward her. “I’d love to stroll a take - I mean, take a stroll with you - ” 

“Okay!” Cho beamed at him, and Harry’s stomach did an Irish kick. They walked out of the great wooden doors and into the piercing sun. Butterflies glided lazily about, the grassy lawn was dewy from last night’s rain. Harry felt content from breakfast and a little bold, so he held out his hand for Cho to take. 

Cho’s hand was small and warm, filling Harry’s insides with mush. “The weather’s quite nice,” said Harry hesitantly. 

“Oh, yes, I read in the Quibbler that we’re supposed to have a good week, although Crumpled Snorkacks might attack us on Thurs - ” Cho cut off with a wild start, blushing furiously. “I mean, oh, Merlin - ” 

“It’s all right,” said Harry, grinning despite himself. “So you read the Quibbler too, do you?” 

“Sometimes,” said Cho slowly, who seemed to be processing what she said now. 

Cho and Harry chatted a bit more about the weather, Quidditch, and the horrible Umbridge, (and it was nice, thought Harry, almost like talking with Ron and Hermione) but eventually they had exhausted most of the safe topics. A permeable silence oozed through the air until, at last, they had made a full circle around Hogwarts. 

“We should do this more often,” said Cho, beaming as they parted, “unless, I mean, you don’t want to - but of course I do - ” 

“No, no,” said Harry hurriedly, “I’d love to do this again.” 

“Alright then, see you, Harry,” Cho said, disappearing around the corridor with one last wave. 

Harry watched as she went, feeling as if he’d swallowed some of the butterflies outside.


	2. The Confrontation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry, Ron, and Hermione get into a heavy disagreement.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a shorter chapter than before, but hope you enjoy! Feedback is appreciated :)

“You went for a stroll with Cho Chang?” yelled Ron, gaping at Harry as he entered the common room that night. A few of the other Gryffindors who were lounging on the plush sofas looked up at Harry curiously. 

“Well, what if I did?” said Harry defensively. 

“Oh, don’t bother with Ron, he’s just a little edgy since his encounter with Fleur,” Hermione said crossly, jabbing at her half-finished elf hat. 

“I’m not edgy!” insisted Ron, who was reddening madly. “And Fleur didn’t reject me, Hermione, she just wanted personal space - ”

“Oh, say what you will!” Hermione cried shrilly, throwing down her knitting needles and towering over Ron. “Fleur will listen to you, won’t she? Fleur is all that matters to you, is it - ?” 

“Will you stop arguing, both of you!” Harry bellowed, glaring at Ron and Hermione as they faced off and scaring off several timid first-years. “Now isn’t the time, okay? Hermione - ” he said pointedly, the latter of which showed no signs of backing down, “ - try not to care about who Ron interacts with - there’s no use in that - ” 

“I will if he stops being a lightheaded twit!” Hermione blurted, nearly in tears. 

“Cut it out!” Harry said for the millionth time as Ron opened his mouth to retort. “Ron, be more mindful of your actions, will you - ” 

“Fine!” Ron spat, turning on his heel toward the boys’ dormitories, leaving an extremely upset Hermione, disgruntled Harry, and shocked audience in his wake. 

“Hermione - ” Harry began, but the normally levelheaded girl wouldn’t hear it. 

“Just - just leave us alone, alright?” hissed Hermione, tears streaking her cheeks as she, too, ran off to her dorms.


	3. The Announcement

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Headmaster Dumbledore announces a special event, but Harry in particular isn't delighted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven't updated in so long, but thanks for waiting! Feedback is appreciated :)

The next morning, Ron and Hermione showed no signs of reconciling, which upset Harry in ways he couldn’t explain. He arrived at breakfast with Dean and Seamus, who although were perfectly nice, could not replace his two best friends. Ron, in a pointed gesture of ignoring Harry, sat at the far end of the Gryffindor table with Fred and George, while Hermione was most likely in the library, alone. 

Harry was in such a horrible state at the moment that he doused his pumpkin juice with maple syrup and knocked salt into his porridge. “Blimey, Harry, what’s gotten into you?” said an amused Ginny Weasley beside him. 

“I - I’m not sure,” said Harry, feeling his insides shrivel up. “I think I might lie down - spoiled juice - ” 

But Harry did not have time to make a run for it, for in that instance Dumbledore stood up and clanked his fork on his goblet, hushing every student in the Hall. 

“Good morning, young witches- and wizards-to-be,” the headmaster said, a twinkle in his eye as he glanced around. “I hope you’ve had a wonderful stay so far, Beauxbatons and Durmstrang visitors, and I know you all have been wondering what the other professors and I have planned. Well, you will wait no more, for in a week Hogwarts will be hosting the very first Inter-School Magical Ball!” 

There was a thick silence in the air, and then the buzzing of students turning and whispering excitedly to one another, wondering what this meant. In contrast, Harry felt the urge to curl up into a ball and Disapparate to his room. 

“The majority of you that might remember the Yule Ball from the previous school year,” Dumbledore went on, unperturbed by the whispers, “should keep in mind that this will be a completely different event. Leading up to the Inter-School Ball, we will have an interactive experience where Durmstrang and Beauxbatons students may tag along with a fellow Hogwarts student to their classes, and hopefully learn a few things with them.”

“More learning?” Parvati whispered loudly. “Does that mean we’ll still have classes?” 

“Correct, Miss Patil,” Dumbledore said not unkindly to a blushing Parvati, “we will not cease any classes leading up to the Inter-School Ball. Your teachers hope that you will hold your grades up to the same standard as before, as to prepare you fifth-years for your O.W.L.S. and seventh-years, your N.E.W.T.S.” The aforementioned groups of students, including Harry’s table, groaned loudly in response. 

“However, on the night of this special Inter-School Ball, fourth-years and above will be permitted to let your hair down, as Minerva so delightfully puts it.” Dumbledore gestured down at a sniffing Professor McGonagall, but Harry caught a hint of a smile on her face. Next to her, Snape was scowling at the mention of festivities. 

“With all this being said, you will all receive your list of pairings over the course of the day, so cheers!” Dumbledore finished with a jolly grin. “All is dismissed!” 

As students alike began to file out of the Great Hall, Harry turned to the other Gryffindors. “Is there any chance I can opt out of this?” he asked, his heart sinking. 

“Fat chance,” replied Ginny with a teasing nudge. “Now if you’ll excuse me - I need to see who I can take to the Inter-School Ball - goodbye, Harry!”


	4. The Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ron and Harry reconcile, but Harry feels nervous at the thought of asking Cho Chang to the Inter-School Ball.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven't posted in so long because school just started but here we are again!

As the day went on, the subject of the Inter-School Ball was brought up countless times. It seemed to Harry that his peers were either frantically trying to size others up as a potential partner for the Ball, or pondering who would tag along with them to classes. Ron and Hermione, however, were still icy as ever to each other, sitting at different tables from Harry whenever they could. 

“Y’alright, Harry?” Ernie Macmillan asked in Herbology, rather pompously. 

“Yeah, just a little tired,” said Harry, hoping this was all just a bad dream. 

“Haven’t you gotten a date for the Ball yet?” asked Hannah Abbott anxiously. “I haven’t, and it’s driving me to Merlin and back - no one’s asked me - ” 

By evening, Harry had collapsed on the common room couch, sapped of energy. He had loads of homework to do, mostly from Professor Snape, who seemed encouraged by the upcoming festivities to pile on their workload. 

“Hey, mate,” a familiar voice called from beside him, rather hesitantly. Harry lifted his head to see Ron perched on the edge of the sofa. 

“Look, Harry,” Ron went on, “I’m sorry for all the anger I took out on you yesterday - it wasn’t my best moment, and Hermione - well, she got on my nerves - ”

“It’s all right,” said Harry, his spirits lifting a little. “How is she, anyway?” 

Ron’s shoulders drooped. “I dunno, mate, Lavender said Hermione hasn’t talked to anyone for days…” 

“Well, then, d’you know who’s tagging along with us tomorrow?” 

“Yeah,” Ron said enviously, “I’m with Viktor Krum, and, well, you’ve got Fleur Delacour. Lucky, mate.” 

Harry felt strangely cheered all of a sudden, and he made to hug Ron awkwardly. “Have you got a date to the Ball yet?” 

“I’m s’posed to ask out Lavender, because Parvati says she fancies me or something,” muttered Ron, and Harry let out a short chuckle. “I dunno… I’ll probably wait a bit… but you’ve got Cho, haven’t you?” 

Harry’s stomach curled a little at the thought of holding hands with Cho again. “Yeah, but - do you think I have to ask her out?” he whispered. Cho was always surrounded with giggling friends… it had been rare yesterday morning to see her walk out of the Great Hall alone… 

“Oh, mate, of course you’ve got to ask her out,” snorted Ron, slapping his shoulder. “Don’t worry, we’ll both do it together - how about Friday, right after Transfiguration? Anyway, good night - ” Ron stood up, yawning, and headed for the dorms, unaware of Harry’s sinking heart. 

I can’t wait for Friday, Harry thought with a wince, when I can embarrass myself in front of Cho Chang, of all people…


End file.
